Children s play table



Mardi 31, 1954 F. F. cAsTER 3,127,170

CHILDRENS PLAY TABLE Filed Oct. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l BLM@ 4MM March31, 1964 F CASTER CHILDRENS PLAY TABLE Filed Oct. 17, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 BY MV Afin/myn United States Patent 3,127,170V CHILDRENSPLAY TABLE Forrest F. Caster, 2723 S. 37th St., Kansas City, Kans. FiledOct. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 231,136 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-33) This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in play equipment for children,and has particular reference to that class of play device comprising atable with a chair or seat attached thereto;

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a playtable which is circular and having` a chair or seat attached` thereto`for rotation about the central vertical axis of the table, whereby achild in the seat may pull or push himself around .the table to gainready access to any portion of the surface thereof. If desired, varioustypes of toys may be permanently affixed to the table.

Another object is the provision of a play table of the characterdescribed having lnovel means for resisting rotation' of the seat and tohold it releasably at any angular position at which it may come to rest,whereby both to prevent too easy rotation which might be troublesome orannoyingto the child, and also to provide healthfulV exercise lfor thechild in pushing or pulling the chair around the table.

Another object is the provision of a play table of the characterdescribed having means for adjusting the effectifve diameter of theItable base, whereby -to prevent the table from being overturned by theweight of heavier children sitting in the seat.

A `still further object is the provision of a play table of thecharacter described wherein the elevation of the seat and the table topare independently adjustable to adapt the device tor use by children ofdiierent ages and heights.

`Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efciency anddependability of operation, easy portability from place to place, andadaptability for use in a wide Variety of applications.

With these objects in view, as well as otherobjects which will appear inthe course of the specication, reference will be had to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein: Y

FIG. l is aV central 'vertical sectional view of aY childrens play tableembodying the present invention, with parts left in elevation,

Y FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line II-l-I of FIG.1', withparts broken away, and' with the seat rotated slightly from theposition shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an inverted plan fview of the device, with the supportinglegs-shown in solid lines in their operative positions, and folded totheir inoperative positions in dotted lines, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and the -numeral 2 applies to a horizontally disposed table topwhich is circular and planar, and to the top of which may be securedtoys 4 and one or more handles y'7, the purpose of which will bediscussed hereinafter. The table top is supported above a planar,circular base 6, concentrically therewith, by a vertical standard `8.Said standard comprises a lower tubular member 10 having a llangeY 12secured centrally to base 6 by screws 14, and anupper tubular member 16*having a ilange 18 at itseupperendsecured centrally to lthe lower faceof the table top by screws 20. Tubular member 16 is telescoped 4forvertical sliding movement over tubular member 10, and is releasablysecured thereto by a set screw 22, whereby the elevation of table -top 2above base 6 may be adjusted.

Disposed in spaced relation below base `6, and being ICC concentric andof a diameter equal therewith, is a circular track member 24 formed ofangle iron, the horizontal leg 26 of said angle iron forming a circularhorizontal track, and the vertical leg 28 of said angle iron dependingfrom said track. -Base `6 is supportedV above the track member by aplurality of brackets 30 spaced apartv angularly of the base. As shown,there are six such brackets spaced equally around the base. Each of saidbrackets is substantially L-shaped, being welded or otherwise affixed attheir lower ends to track member 24 beneath track legh 26, and beingyaixed at their upper ends to base 6, as by screws 32. Each of saidbrackets includesl a pair of spaced apart vertical side walls 34l whichextend substantially radially to the base.

A chair member 36 comprising a seat member 3'8 and aback 4tl/V isdisposed so that a child seated therein is positioned for convenientaccess to table -top 2 and the toys thereon. Said chair is provided witha safety belt 42 for securing a child therein. Preferably the buckle 44or other fastener for securing the safety bel-t is disposed behind thechair back l40 -s'o that the child will not have ready access thereto.The chair 36 -is supported for rotation about the 'vertical central axisof the table by means including a rod 46 extending radially to standard8 intermediate table top 2 and base 6, said rod being secured at itsouter end to chair seat 38 by screws 48, and being aflixed at its innerend to a circular collar 50 which -i`s rotatably mounted in a groove I52formed peripherally in a sleeve 54 which is vertically slidable ionstandard tube 116, and releasably secure-d thereon lby a set screw 56.

Secured to the bottom of chair seat 38 by a ange 58 and screws 60 is adepen-ding vertical tube 62. An L- shaped bar y64 has its vertical legtelescoped slidably Within ytube `62, and releasably secured therein byset screw 66. The horizontal leg of bar 64 extends inwardly to a pointdirectly above track member 26, and has a horizontal T-head `68 aixedthereto. A cage 70 is ailixed to each end of said T-head, and a roller72 is journalled rotatably in each of said cages. Said rollers havehorizontal axes substantially radial tothe track, and roll on the upperhorizontal surface of the track to further support seat B6. It will be'apparent that by :losening'set screws `56 yand 6'6, the elevation ofseat 356 may be adjusted independently of the elevation `of table top 2.This is important since when adjusting the height of the table top foruse by a child of any particular height, the corresponding adjustment ofchair 36 which is`` then necessitated is almost never equal to thechange of elevation of the table top. A guard plate 74 is `disposedhorizontally directly beneath seat 38, in coplanar relation to the uppersurface of base `6, being secured to bar f64 by suitable brackets 76.The inner edge of said guard plate is arcuate, being concentric with butspaced slightly outwardly from base 6, and the outer edge portion 78 ofthe guard plate is bent upwardly as shown. The purpose of the guardplate is to prevent any possibility that a child might extend his toesbeneath theedge of base 16, where they might be pinched between rollers72 and track 24. Y

A vertical bolt 80 is rigidly xed in base 6 in radially inwardly spacedrelation from each of brackets 30 attaching track 24 to said base. Saidbolts extend downwardly from said base, but to a lesser extent thanbrackets 30.l A rigid, elongated leg 82 is associated with each of saidbolts, being provided adjacent one end thereof with a hole 84' (seeFIGS. l and 2) loosely'engaged over said bolt. A helical compressionspring 86 is disposed about said bolt, being compressed between said legand a washer 88 secured on the lower end of said bolt by a nut 90. Leg82 extends radially outwardly from bolt 80, extending beneath trackmember 24 in an outwardly and downwardly inclined direction, to a pointspaced radially outwardly from the track member. Each leg is provided atits outer end with a wheel 92 journalled rotatably thereto on an axistransverse to the general extent of the leg. Intermediate its ends, eachleg 82 is retained between the side walls 34 of the associated bracket30, whereby pivoting of said leg on its bolt 80 is prevented. Also, asmall clip 94 of inverted U-shape (see FIG. 1) is aixed to the uppersurface of each leg S2 so as to engage the lower edge of leg 2S of thetrack member 24, so as to prevent longitudinal forces applied to leg 82from being transmitted to bolt 80, and also to provide a fulcrum aboutwhich leg 82 may pivot in a vertical plane. However, each leg may whendesired be pushed downwardly relative to track 24 to disengage it frombracket walls 34 and to disengage clip 94, whereupon said legs may bepivoted inwardly to an inoperative position as shown in dotted lines inFIG. 3, disposed entirely within track 24. In this position the deviceis supported on floor 96 by track member 24 and the lower edges ofbracket walls 32. When the legs are extended as shown in FIG. l and insolid lines in FIG. 3, the device is supported on the oor by wheels 92.

In use, a child secured in chair 36 by safety belt 42 may, if the chairand table top elevations have been properly set, propel himself aroundthe table either by pushing with his feet against base 6, or by graspingthe table edge or handle 7 with his hands, or both. In this manner hemay gain ready access to any portion of the table, or to any of toys 4thereon. He also greatly enjoys the merry-go-round sensation which hethereby creates. In propelling himself around the table, his weight isconcentrated at a constantly changing point of the tables periphery. Iflegs 82 are extended, this shifting of his weight causes the legsclosest to him to pivot in a vertical plane about clips 94 as fulcrum,the inner ends of said legs being forced downwardly against springs 86.At the same time, the opposite legs pivot in the opposite direction dueto the lighter weight supported thereby. Thus the entire tablestructure, including track 24, is always sloped downwardly toward thechild, regardless of the angular position of the chair. The chair isthus always supported on the lowest portion of the track, and movementof the chair requires an uphill movement of rollers 72 on the track.This action has several desirable results. Firstly, it provides abraking action tending to slow and stop the rotation of the chair oncethe motivating force has been released. Secondly, it tends to hold thechair in one position after it has stopped. Thirdly, it requires greatereffort on the part of the child to rotate the seat, and thus supplieshealthful exercise. While table top 2 of course tilts, the degree oftilting is not so great as to affect the utility of the table as such.The degree of tiling can be regulated either by using legs 82 ofdiiferent lengths, or by using springs 86 of different strengths. Wheels92 permit the slight horizontal movement of the legs relative to thetioor which results from the lever action pivoting of said legs.However, since all of said wheels are disposed on relatively angledaxes, they do not permit this device to be rolled generally over thedoor, and the device will remain substantially stationary in oneposition even with legs 82 extended as shown. Nevertheless, the devicemay be easily transferred from place to place by irst folding legs 82 totheir inoperative positions as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, andturning the entire table on edge so that the circular edges of table top2, base 6, and track 24 engage the floor. The entire device may then betrundled along like a wheelbarrow, using chair structure 36 as a handle.

For the tilting action described above to occur most effectively, itwill be obvious that the fulcrums of legs 82, as provided by clips 94,should be closer to central standard 8 than the center of chair seat 38.However, the outward extension of legs 82 increases the effectivediameter of the base, so that the weight of a heavier child will nottend to overturn the entire assembly. Where the child is of sufficientlylight weight to preclude such overturning, or where the tilting actionas described is not desired, the legs may be pivoted to theirinoperative positions.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure andoperation could be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A childrens play table comprising:

a. a circular, generally planar base,

b. a standard secured centrally to said base and extending upwardlytherefrom,

c. a circular table top secured to the upper end of said standardconcentrically therewith,

d. a chair disposed adjacent the edge of said table top,

e. means supporting said chair adjacent the edge of said table top andmounted on said standard for free rotation about the axis thereof,whereby said chair may be rotated around the periphery of said table topf. a plurality of horizontally extending legs carried by said base, saidlegs being angularly spaced about the periphery of said base andextending substantially radially thereto, and being outwardly anddownwardly inclined to engage the iloor at their outer ends to supportsaid base,

g. means pivotally connecting each of said legs to said base for pivotalmovement in a vertical plane about a horizontal transverse axisintermediate its ends,

means connecting the inner end of each of said legs to said base forvertical movement relative thereto, and

. resilient means yieldably resisting downward movement of the inner endof each of said legs relative to said base.

2. A childrens play table as recited in claim l with the addition of:

a. a floor engaging wheel carried rotatably at the outer end of each ofsaid legs.

3. A childrens play table as recited in claim 1 with the addition of:

a. a lioor engaging wheel carried rotatably at the outer end of each ofsaid legs, the axis of said wheel being horizontal and transverse to thelongitudinal extent of said leg.

4. A childrens play table as recited in claim 1 wherein said legs areselectively movable from the position recited to an inoperative positionwherein they are disposed entirely above the level of the lower face ofsaid base, whereby said base is supported directly on the iloor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.167,860 Slago et al. Sept. 30, 1952 853,666 Williams May 14, 19071,368,132 Gavlak Feb. 8, 1921 1,773,504 Stokes Aug. 19, 1930 2,507,980Knapp May 16, 1950 2,512,057 Fowler June 20, 1950 2,785,735 Banks Mar.19, 1957

1. A CHILDREN''S PLAY TABLE COMPRISING: A. A CIRCULAR, GENERALLY PLANARBASE, B. A STANDARD SECURED CENTRALLY TO SAID BASE AND EXTENDINGUPWARDLY THEREFROM, C. A CIRCULAR TABLE TOP SECURED TO THE UPPER END OFSAID STANDARD CONCENTRICALLY THEREWITH, D. A CHAIR DISPOSED ADJACENT THEEDGE OF SAID TABLE TOP, E. MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CHAIR ADJACENT THE EDGEOF SAID TABLE TOP AND MOUNTED ON SAID STANDARD FOR FREE ROTATION ABOUTTHE AXIS THEREOF, WHEREBY SAID CHAIR MAY BE ROTATED AROUND THE PERIPHERYOF SAID TABLE TOP,